Orange alert! Dash host Gotham in the NWSL

Denise Duffy and Jonathon Hagger‘s detailed NWSL preview this week features the game between Houston Dash and Gotham FC – including access to the club’s media conferences ahead of the match (8/6/23).

Above: Action from Gotham FC training this week. Photo: Devon Cafaro.

This weekend the Gotham FC squad make their way out of an orange tri-state area atmosphere only to play in the orange cauldron that is Shell Energy Stadium to face off against their next rivals, the Houston Dash this Sunday at 7:30 pm local time.

They will need to be sharp, because even with four players included in the Team of the Month, Gotham FC was unable to overcome the defensive prowess of the San Diego Wave, going down last weekend 1-0 in a strongly contested match.

While Gotham FC sits two places above Houston in the NWSL standings, the Dash will provide a top-drawer-level challenge. Similar to the San Diego Wave, the Dash defence is in stellar form with four clean sheet matches through ten games. Will Gotham FC be able to find a weakness in the armour of Houston’s super keeper, Jane Campbell? Can the Dash overcome Shea Groom’s season-ending injury and remain in playoff contention?

With the FIFA Women’s World Cup starting in 43 days, every NWSL team is looking to bank as many quality results as they can, so that in the absence of their star players, they have positioned themselves well to make the playoffs beginning late October 2023. 

Team Comparisons

Both teams can boast impressive defensive records with each team having conceded less than one goal per game against quality opposition. The Dash’s four clean sheets is hugely impressive. Gotham has twelve goals this season whereas the Dash come into the match with nine.

Left-footed players are having a ball in the NWSL this year and this match has some of the best quality left side of the pitch players lining up against each other, Maria Sanchez, Jenna Nighswonger, and Kirstie Mewis. One must be mindful of perhaps Houston’s biggest threat Diana Ordóñez, aka Scoredoñez. Also, the Bats need to beware of English international Ebony Salmon, who was snubbed from the World Cup roster of her home country, and will be looking to prove something.

Winning the Midfield
  • McCall Zerboni – Midfield.  Often coming on as a substitute, Zerboni uses both her smarts and her aggressiveness to break up play and win the ball. Look for quick short passes to strategically move the ball up the pitch from her.
  • Kristie Mewis – Midfield. On the brink of making a World Cup squad. Mewis will try to prove once more that she’s in it to win it. Mewis will continue to look for quality assists from the outside in.
  • Ify Onumonu – Forward. She is destined for selection for the World Cup with Nigeria. American-born and University of California at Berkeley forward needs to continue her NWSL veteran ways to get in the box and threaten the Dash defence.

The Houston Dash are a team still looking to find that magic in the box.

Above: Houston Dash’s Maria Sanchez in full attack mode. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Houston Dash.

  • Maria Sanchez – Mid / Forward. Sanchez leads the team in goals scored and assists. Her adaptability can see her positioned anywhere in the centre or on the left-hand side of the pitch. With two goals and two assists so far Sanchez will be looking to increase her total.
  • Sophie Schmidt – Midfield. Oh captain my captain! Leading the team from the midfield position gives Schmidt the opportunity to provide clear communication both backwards and forwards across the pitch. Schmidt has an incredibly high work rate. Making tackles, interceptions, and strong blocks complements her ability to press the ball forwards into open spaces.
  • Jane Campbell – Goalkeeper. We’ve mentioned Campbell earlier in this article and we absolutely must talk about her again. Campbell will be the difference between Hosuton winning or losing. 

What to expect in this match from the Bats.

Gotham FC will once again take the lead role as attacker but that does not mean they will come out of this contest as victors. The Dash are very patient when they are in possession of the ball and they don’t squander their chances. They may not shoot often but when they do the shot quality is exceptional.

The Edge

Keeper – Abby Smith vs Jane Campbell. Campbell is the Dash’s go to number one choice and the team’s faith in her has been rewarded. With four clean sheets and only nine goals conceded, Campbell is a big part of the reason why the Dash are doing so well. Smith backs up from a very good match, apart from the one goal that was scored when the Gotham backline were caught out by a super quick offensive move. The performances of the goalkeepers will be the difference in this clash.

Backlines – For the Dash, Veterans Katie Lind and Allysha Chapman, with help from Natalie Jacobs, will have a huge responsibility to mark Lynn Williams in and around the box.

Midfield – Gotham will need to defend by committee a dynamic Houston attack. In order to counter the formidable Houston offence, Gotham will rely on a collective defensive effort. Fortunately, players such as Nighswonger, Long, Ryan, and Mewis possess the skills to not only plug up the midfield, but have the ability to launch their own powerful counterattacks.

Front Line –  A more direct Scoredoñez versus Lynn Williams. It will be one of the best matchups of the season

Coaching – Sam Laity v Juan Carlos Amorós. Laity has a history of success through a decade of coaching roles. Laity is described as being “a players’ coach with the respect and trust of players, staff, and stakeholders across the league and sport”. Under Laity’s tenure the physicality and pace of the Dash has been a key focus so expect to see a whole lot of body bumping. Coach Amorós will be encouraging his team to bring their distinctive style of attacking play. Both are smart and strong tacticians.

Coach Amorós brings a wealth of experience across global soccer to Gotham FC, having served as a head coach of clubs in the top leagues in Spain, England, and the U.S. Amorós was coach of Real Betis Féminas from 2021 – 22 and led them to a club-record unbeaten streak in Spain’s top division. Having stepped into the role of Coach for Gotham FC in late 2022 the results the team are recording prove that he is a top talent.

Front and Back Office – The Dash is not known for a flash back office. Jessica O’Neill has been quietly building something to notice in Houston. Gotham’s backbone is one to notice. With an exciting marketing team and the likes of Darian Jenkins as Chief of Staff, this club has really cleared the air and is creating a bright future.

Fans, Stadium and Social Media – Never underestimate the dedication and the fun that Houston’s fans have. If they can get momentum at Shell Energy Stadium and have some early goals, look for the fans to pump the Dash up. 

Above: Houston Dash’s goalkeeper Jane Campbell. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Houston Dash.

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Kyra Cooney-Cross: A player with the vision and talent to star at the World Cup

by Genevieve Henry (7/6/23)

Above: Kyra Cooney-Cross (23) dances her way through the South Africa midfield in October last year. Photo: Justine Burch for Impetus.

When facing Australia, defences know who to watch out for – Sam Kerr. Teams will do everything within their power to mark the Matildas superstar out of the game. This tactic eliminates a clear threat and source of goals for the Aussies, but it also opens up another avenue to the back of the net – Kyra Cooney-Cross. 

Cooney-Cross is one of the best young players in the world. Australians know that. But, since she plays for Swedish club Hammarby, she has not attracted a huge amount of attention and will therefore be somewhat of a secret weapon. 

If Kerr is marked out of a game, it allows Cooney-Cross to stop creating chances for Kerr and start taking them for herself. The Matildas could thrive in a system like this, using Kerr as a decoy to let Cooney-Cross make her renowned driving runs. She can bang in goals from a distance as well as simple finishes and set pieces. Her am bipedal delivery skills make her the heir apparent to Elise Kellond-Knight (fun fact: both are known for scoring Olimpicos!).

All of Kyra Cooney-Cross’ skills are suited to the Matildas’ style of play: counter-attacking and highly progressive movements. Her control, speed, and one-v-one ability make her the perfect player for transitions from defence to attack, as the Matildas frequently rely on to create golden chances.

Not only can she carry the ball up the field and gain territory, but she also has frighteningly good distribution, using both feet to spray the ball in all different directions. Her through-balls have often led to clear paths to goals for others. She can see what others cannot, and this vision makes her one of the toughest opponents to face. Her positioning can catch defenders off-guard, allowing her time to curl in a shot. 

Cooney-Cross is versatile, excelling in both attacking and defensive midfield, as well as playing on the wing. She could be described as a bulldog: feisty, determined, and brave. She is a player who never gives up, does the hard yards, and puts in a good tackle. She is good on both ends of a one-v-one, allowing herself space to create chances for her teammates or herself.

Her relatively small size and low centre of gravity could be seen as a detriment to her game, but she uses it to her advantage, rarely allowing herself to get bullied off the ball. She is skilled at retaining possession and navigating her way through tough, tight situations. The use of her body is one of her best attributes, often shielding the ball and allowing herself the time and space to move forward. She often goes unnoticed for Australia because she doesn’t play pretty football. She plays gritty football. 

Above: Kyra Cooney-Cross with the Svenska Cupen that she won with her Hammerby side yesterday, with a 3-0 win over BK Häcken. Photo: Football Australia.

Cooney-Cross makes incredible runs, driving the ball up the field with pace and power. Not only is her endurance impressive, but her acceleration speed is enviable. She has good control when dribbling. She rarely allows someone to nick the ball off of her, but even then, she always puts in the effort to get it back.

These runs and dribbles have come close to goal so many times now for Australia. Although she has not yet scored for her country, she is capable of doing so, as one can see from her club and youth national team history. Not only can she score, but she can do it in the most important games. Most notably, in the 2021 W-League Grand Final, she scored directly from the corner in the 120th minute to win the title for Melbourne Victory. She thrives under pressure. 

She had a brilliant campaign for Victory in 2021, even if one disregards that spectacular, championship-winning goal. The then 19-year-old played a leadership role in the squad, inspiring them with her hard work and winning mentality. She had six goals and four assists, She made the W-League team of the season and was named captain after receiving the most votes, as well as being named the best young player in the league. 

Previous to her season for Victory, Cooney-Cross spent a season at Western Sydney Wanderers, where she scored a 92nd-minute winner on her debut. Her stint with the Wanderers was successful, scoring four goals across her 12 appearances for the club. She helped them to their best ever finish at fourth in the table and to reach the semi-final stage of the championship for the first time.

Cooney-Cross also had a remarkable youth career, playing for Melbourne Victory and Ballarat City. During this time, she impressed at the youth national level, scoring goals aplenty in tournaments as well as being the creative engine of her teams.

After catching eyes from all over the world after ruling the W-League, Cooney-Cross and Victory, Wanderers, and Matildas teammate, Courtney Nevin earned themselves moves to a top Swedish club, Hammarby. At the Stockholm-based club, Cooney-Cross has gained valuable experience, facing other youth talents as well as quality older opposition. She has become a regular starter for the side, frequently assisting and creating chances for her teammates. She has developed immensely since moving to Sweden.

Cooney-Cross has been one of the most improved players for the Matildas within the past year. She has become a starter by ironing out some of her weaknesses. She has gotten stronger physically, which was problematic previously, as she was little enough to push off the ball. She has calmed her impulsivity down, reducing the amount of pointless turnovers and yellow cards due to her high-risk, high-reward style of play. With this improvement paired with her natural talent and ability to fly under the radar, she is sure to star for the Matildas at the 2023 World Cup.

Above: Kyra Cooney-Cross in possession for The Matildas against Spain in February. Photo: Kris Goman for Impetus.

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Bulleen win but Boroondara stay top of the table: NPLW Victoria Round 12

Above: Grace Taranto of Bulleen Lions. Photo: Instagram

The top four teams on the ladder faced off in Round 12, and while the order remains the same, the games showed that momentum may be shifting in the Victorian NPLW.

Preston Lions 3-3 Alamein FC

Friday night’s game saw Alamein FC travel to face the Preston Lions in what turned out to be a thriller.

After strong starts to the season, both sides needed a win to keep in touch with the top four. Neither team was in the mood to be overly cautious though, and what transpired was a high-scoring, drama-filled encounter.

Patricia Charalambous put the visitors ahead in the 12th minute. She ran onto to a perfectly weighted through ball and chipped the keeper from outside the box. The timing of the run and the quality of the pass beat the offside trap.

Preston had had the better of the opening exchanges, and the goal came slightly against the run of play, but it was well deserved after a slick build-up and confident finish.

The home side struggled to gain momentum after the goal, but in the 32nd minute, they found an equaliser. Miri Nishimura poked home after a Lev Edwards free-kick created a goal-mouth scramble that the Japanese midfielder reacted fastest to.

That gave Preston a bit of a spark, and Delaney Lindahl had them in the lead just a minute later. The winger cruised into the box from the left side and smashed home a shot off her right boot at full pace.

Preston had regained control on the scoreboard, but Alamein were able to regroup at the break.

Sidney Allen looked dangerous as the second half kicked off, she created one chance that was disallowed for a goal-mouth foul, and a surging run helped set up Alamein’s second of the night.

The attempted through ball was blocked, but Molly Bourke’s vision picked out Charalambous in a pocket of space. The former Heidelberg United striker stepped into the penalty box and fired her effort low into the net to make it 2-2 in the 64th minute.

Preston re-took the lead yet again from another set piece. Paula Mitchell’s volley at the back post was directed well enough to squirm in despite the goalkeeper’s best efforts. Preston looked set to hold onto that lead as the clock ticked down toward the 90th minute.

Alamein continued to attack and in the 94th minute they got their reward. A series of late corner kicks dialled up the pressure on the Preston defence and a final effort caused havoc in the six-yard box. It was eventually scrambled in, with the final finish credited to Molly Bourke.

The draw does neither team any real favours, they sit in sixth and seventh after the round completed, but it was an exciting match, even if it was an opportunity missed by the Preston Lions.

Calder United 1-3 Box Hill United

Box Hill’s recent turnaround in form continued with their third win in a row. The club’s upswing has coincided with the arrivals of Sofia Sakalis, Melinda Barbieri, and Rosie Curtis in midfield along with Emily Kos in defence. However, these players have allowed others to shine with less responsibility to determine the result.

The match against Calder United would be a strong test for visitors, with the home side coming off a 6-2 thrashing of Bayside United in Round 11.

Box Hill opened the scoring late in the first half. Kanna Moriya’s clever flick found Asuka Doi unmarked at the back post to head them into the lead. Calder drew level early in the second half through Alexis Mitchell scoring a penalty that she had earned.

Sofia Saklis scored for the third successive game when a cross from the right side bounced off the woodwork. The 2022 League Gold Medal winner was on hand to bury the rebound and restore Box Hill’s lead.

Sakalis was once again at the centre of the action for the game sealer. Calder United had been pushing for an equaliser, but Box Hill remained resolute. It took a well-worked move to unlock the Calder defence one last time and make it 3-0 in the 92nd minute.

Laura Pickett’s long ball from defence was brilliantly controlled by Anais Josefski. The Box Hill winger cruised inboard from the flank and switched play to Sakalis. Her deep cross in was met by Doi who bookended the scoring for the afternoon with the final goal of the match.

The result brings up Box Hill’s third consecutive win, and helped them climb above Southern United and FV Emerging. With half the season still to play, the distance between them and the top four is unlikely but not impossible.

Calder needed to win this game, and the loss keeps them in eighth position. Their best is good enough to challenge any team, but they need to find it consistently.

Southern United 2-3 Bayside United

Typical of this season so far, it was another shootout with some late goals on Saturday night. Bayside United arrived needing a response from their big loss last week, but with Kayla Deaver and Julia Budiongo in attack, they are always dangerous.

Southern United found that out in the first half. Deaver was able to find herself one on one with the fullback and dribbled along the by-line before the cross was forced in by Budiongo for a 38th-minute goal.

Deaver added one of her own in the 43rd minute. After her far post tap-in was somehow kept off the line, she was given a second chance. The Southern United defenders backed off, expecting another cross into the middle, but Deaver steadied and slammed in Bayside’s second.

Isabella Fernandez added a third goal before halftime. She finished off a swift move by outpacing the defence and finishing emphatically from just inside the box on the stroke of halftime.

That third goal would prove crucial. Southern United had looked defeated on the scoreboard but kept pushing and trying to find ways into the contest.

Antoonia Niteros scored what looked like a consolation goal in the 80th minute. She directed a corner in at the back post that somehow writhed over the line.

The final few minutes of the game were sparked into life when Zarli Vandenberg ended a Southern United counterattack with an excellent finish from the edge of the penalty area.

Despite the scare, Bayside United managed to hold on for the three points. They sit just outside of the top four, two points behind Heidelberg but anticipating a tough game against Boroondara-Carey Eagles next week.

Boroondara-Carey Eagles 2-3 Bulleen Lions

This was a very high-quality match between two sides with similarly matched attacks.

Boroondara-Carey can boast the league’s in-form striker and Kurea Okino did not disappoint again. Bulleen have Alana Jancevski. While not an out an out nine, she has scored in her last three games including the Nike FC Cup, with every expectation of adding another in this match.

Rebbecca Lim found the net first for the Eagles with one of the goals of the season. She received the ball wide on the right and sped toward goal on a direct but swerving run inboard. With a final burst of pace, she cut through the central defenders and slid the ball across goal and into the net. Six minutes had passed.

Bulleen responded quickly. In the 13th minute. Beattie Goad cruised through the middle and tried her luck from long range. Deanna Bottalico did well to parry it away, but Maja Markovski was on hand to calmly cut the ball back across goal for Tyla Jay Vlajnic to equalise.

Markovski brought up her second assist in an impressive outing for the former Melbourne Victory striker. Her long pass found Jancevski in attack. Bulleen’s in-form gun muscled past one defender then shimmied beyond the second before slotting the ball past the goalkeeper from close range.

The goal was a mix of balance, physicality, and control. It was a masterful effort and put Bulleen in the lead in the 34th minute.

It would not be a Boroondara match without an Okino goal and as halftime approached she drew the sides level again. Okino is clinical in the penalty box and did not need much time or space to bring up her 16th on the campaign. A hard left-footed shot meant that the sides went into halftime at 2-2.

Bulleen’s victory would come from one of its long-time stars. Tiffany Eliadis’ 54th-minute goal proved to be the winner. Vlajnic played her behind the defence, but the Bulleen number 10 still had plenry to do.

Eliadis skipped around the keeper but had tightened the angle. She slowed down, composed herself, and curled in what would eventually be the winning goal.

The win keeps Bulleen in third spot, and Boroondara do not drop from first, but including the Nike FC Cup win, this is Bulleen’s second win against the league leaders in a month.

Is the balance of power shifting in the league or is Boroondara just going through a slight dip? In any case, the Eagles’ game against Box Hill will be very intriguing.

Heidelberg United 2-0 South Melbourne

This was set up to be one of the best games of the round. Heidelberg has been growing into their best form but were without Tijan McKenna and Ava Brieids who were both on Young Matildas duty. They had also lost star defender Bella Wallhead to an ACL injury last week. Impetus wishes Bella all the best in her recovery.

South Melbourne has been in strong form recently, much of that has been on the back of Danielle Wise. The striker won the 2022 Golden Boot with Heidelberg and was a top priority for South’s recruiters. Wise wore the armband against her former side.

In the absence of the star striker, Heidelberg have found other solutions, Steph Galea has been consistently menacing, and Katrina Nikpour joined from Alamein. Nicole Blackett has been in stellar form recently. A hattrick against Southern United was backed up by another brilliant goal against FV Emerging. Blackett had four goals in three games coming into the derby and added another in the first half.

The chance was created by the skill of Kathryn Vlahopoulos. The Heidelberg midfielder flicked the ball over a defender with one touch, then her second put Blackett within range. The half volley flew past Zara Board in goal to make it 1-0.

Nikpour added a second goal before halftime. A speculative effort from the wing slipped through the hands of Board and into the net. It was an unfortunate way to concede, but Heidelberg deserved the lead and looked in control of the match for most of the afternoon.

South Melbourne introduced young Melbourne Victory goalkeeper Miranda Templeman in the second half. The chances were few for either side, but when she was called upon, she delivered at her own personal cost.

Templeman came off her line, got down low, and made herself big with a huge save late in the game. Unfortunately, the force of the ball at close range looked to have injured her shoulder. She was in visible distress as play stopped.

With no other goalkeeper on the bench, South turned to striker Betti Michael. She looked slightly nervous but provided one of the few highlights for South Melbourne on a day when nothing else was working for them.

When Heidelberg earned a penalty, they looked likely to add a third. But Michael pulled off a miraculous double save to deny the spot kick and then the follow-up.

Heidelberg were rarely troubled up the other end, and Melissa Maizels commanded her penalty area behind a strong organized defence.

The win was important for Heidelberg to keep a gap between them and Bayside United. With an upcoming match against Bulleen in Round 13, this was a huge result.

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National Para Championships head to Perth

7/6/23

Above: Action from a previous National Para Football Championships – Perth will host the event later this year. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Football Australia.

Australia’s best para footballers are headed to Perth this October with the west coast city set to host the 2023 National Para Football Championships for the first time. 

Running from 3 – 8 October 2023 at the world-class WA State Football Centre, five teams will be in contention to be crowned national champions in the 19th edition of the competition. 

The tournament will hold additional significance this year as it will be the final opportunity to impress the ParaMatildas and Pararoos head coaches prior to their selection of the Australian squads for the Men’s and Women’s 2023 IFCPF Para Asian Cup. 

Football Australia Head of Inclusion, Sarah Walsh, said it was pleasing to see the competition continue to grow each year. 

“The National Para Football Championships are a critical part of Football Australia’s vision to ensure football is open and accessible to the Australian community,” Walsh said. 

“Last year we saw the expansion of the tournament to include an all-women’s team for the first time and advancements including full streaming of all the matches. Off the back of that increased visibility and heroizing of para footballers, we anticipate that in 2023 we will see greater participation than ever before.

Above: The opportunity afforded to Para Footballers by the National Para Football Championships is huge. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Football Australia.

“The championships are an essential representative pathway but every year we see that it’s about more than football; it’s an inclusive and positive environment that allows players to celebrate and empower each other and para football,” she concluded. 

With the tournament set to kick off at the beginning of October, it will provide a smorgasbord of football for Perth with the city recently announced as the host for Group B of the Olympic Qualification tournament, involving the Matildas.

It will be the first time that Perth would have held the Championships and is reward for the recent strong development of ParaMatildas emerging from the state. 

Football West CEO Jamie Harnwell said: “Football West is delighted with the news that the 2023 National Para Football Championships are coming to Perth for the first time.

“In recent years WA has boasted some of the best players in Australia, including recently retired Pararoos legend Chris Barty, Connor Bunce, Alessandro La Verghetta, and goalkeeper Katelyn Smith, who helped the ParaMatildas reach the IFCPF Women’s World Cup final in 2022.

“The new State Football Centre will be an outstanding venue for this tournament and hopefully we will see the Gold Fields WA State Paras go one better than the silver medal they won in 2019.  It is also another endorsement for football in Western Australia, coming just weeks before the Matildas head to Perth to play three qualifying matches for the Paris Olympics.”

Above: ParaMatildas head coach Kelly Stirton emphasised the importance of the tournament for her national squad selection. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Football Australia.

ParaMatildas head coach, Kelly Stirton, stated the importance of the Championships in identifying the next generation of national team stars. 

“It’s exciting to have the National Para Football Championships back for another year and in a new location,” Stirton said. “These Championships play an important role in the player pathway as it is the only time that Kai Lammert and I get to watch and identify new players to come into our camps for domestic training camps and major tournaments.

“We are appreciative of the substantial amount of work undertaken by the Member Federations to prepare players for these Championships. Representing your state with your mates is always a special time and with the added incentive of the national team, this tournament is one that provides both coaches and players fantastic opportunities.”

Former Pararoos goalkeeper and WA State Team Manager, Chris Barty, explained how vital the tournament was for acceptance of para-athletes.  

“For players starting out, this might be the first time they play our version of the game. It might even be the first time they meet someone else with a disability,” Barty said. “I loved my time playing for Australia, but representing Western Australia was always extra special.”

“The gold jersey is something that is synonymous with State Teams in WA Football and getting to wear that kit essentially tells our players “We Belong”. As a captain, I always wanted our team to go out there and show everyone in football why we deserved to belong alongside other WA State Teams.”

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Scottish Play-Off News

This weekend has seen a series of big games in Scotland with clubs battling to retain their league status or gain promotion. Our team of writers have all the details (5/6/23).

Above: Forfar Farmington celebrate their playoff win over Bonnyrigg Rose to seal promotion to the SWF League One. Photo: Sportpix.

SWPL 1 Play-Off Final

by Ben Gilby

Hamilton Academical retained their top-flight status after coming from behind to defeat Gartcairn at Broadwood Stadium yesterday afternoon.

The Accies came from behind to win the tie with 15 minutes remaining after SWPL2 side Gartcairn had taken the lead thanks to Georgina McTear with 15 minutes played. It remained that way at the break.

Chloe Muir levelled with 65 minutes played as she headed home MT Gardiner’s cross. Then, 10 minutes later came the winner as Eilidh Martin poked home from close range. It was a fitting way for Hamilton Academical to send off their head coach Gary Doctor.

SWPL 2 Play-Off Final

by Ben Gilby

Stirling University retained their SWPL 2 status thanks to a 1-0 win over SWFL Championship runners-up Rossvale.

Stirling University took the win thanks to a goal from a corner with half-hour played. Rossvale came agonisingly close to levelling on several occasions, with Impetus-sponsored Lauren Coleman seeing a header saved. Kaitlyn Canavan saw a shot come back off the bar and an earlier effort smothered by brave goalkeeping from close range.

Biffa SWFL Play-Offs

from Tom Freeman

Above: Action from the play-off between Forfar Farmington (blue) and Bonnyrigg Rose. Photo: Sportpix

Forfar Farmington and Queen of the South have secured promotion to the national Scottish Women’s League One after winning their respective play-offs against Bonnyrigg Rose and Harmony Row.

Over 600 spectators attended the ties in Dumfries and Forfar, demonstrating growing interest in the new pyramid structure in the Scottish Women’s game.

A Georgina Wilson double helped Biffa SWFL South winners Queen of the South to their first promotion with a 2-0 win against a robust Harmony Row side who looked dangerous on the break.

Biffa SWFL North winners Forfar Farmington return to competitive national football for the first time since the club was forced to withdraw from the Premier League in 2021. A hat-trick by Cheryl Kilcoyne spurred the Angus side into a thrilling 5-3 victory over Bonnyrigg Rose, who had clinched second spot in the Biffa SWFL East and a play-off place because league winners Livingston Reserves do not qualify for promotion as a development side of a club already in the performance leagues.

The young Bonnyrigg side were 4-1 down at halftime but fought their way back into the game with goals from Saffron McCabe and Sophie Douglas, but unable to catch Forfar in the end.

They now face Harmony Row for the third and final place in League One this Sunday in Airdrie.

Above: Queen of the South celebrate a goal against Harmony Row in their play-off win. Photo: Sportpix.

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Western Australia State Cup Quarter-Final News

Ben Gilby rounds up the details from the weekend’s ties, and Rob Lizzi provides a photo gallery from the tie of the round – a repeat of last year’s Final as Perth SC hosted Perth RedStar (5/6/23).

Above: All smiles for Perth SC as they defeated cup holders Perth RedStar at Dorrien Gardens. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Rob Lizzi.

Perth SC 3-1 Perth RedStar

In a repeat of last year’s final, Perth SC knocked out defending champions Perth RedStar at the quarter-final stage.

RedStar, with club legend Renee Leota making her 250th club appearance in 11 years with the team, including under their previous guise of Northern Redbacks, only had Abbey Woolley’s late goal to show for their efforts.

Peter Rakic’s team earned their spot in the last four thanks to goals from Ella Lincoln, Abbey Meakins, and Gemma Craine.

This is the second time in 2023 that The Azzurri have prevented RedStar from retaining silverware that they won last year, with Perth winning the Night Series Final between the two sides 7-6 on penalties.

Balcatta Etna 1-3 Fremantle City
Above: Olivia Trueman (black kit) – scorer of Fremantle City’s opening goal, pictured earlier this season against Hyundai NTC. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Denyse McCulloch.

Fremantle City won the battle of two of the NPLW WA’s in-form teams at Grindleford Reserve on Sunday.

Olivia Trueman, who will be the subject of this week’s WA On Wednesday interview, gave the visitors the lead, before Tia Stonehill, in superb goalscoring form recently, levelled matters.

The game remained locked up at 1-1 into the final stages, before two goals in the final two minutes settled it favour of the port city team. Carys Hawkins and Abbey Green netted the goals that put Freo into the final four.

Hyundai NTC 4-2 Subiaco
Above: Georgia Cassidy of the NTC, sho scored two of her side’s four goals against Subiaco, captured last season. Photo: Football West.

The NTC made it into the last four despite the best efforts of Subiaco to mount a second-half comeback at E&D Litis Stadium on Sunday.

Georgia Cassidy’s brace, allied to goals from Daisy Gronewald-Shield and Maja Archibald gave the teenagers a commanding lead at the break.

However, after the interval, Siena Crevacore and Dakota van Vugt were on target for Greg Farrell’s side to give Subi some hope, but 4-2 was as close as they got.

Hamersley Rovers 0-3 Murdoch University Melville

Murdoch University Melville (MUM FC) ended the run of the only non-NPLW WA club remaining in the competition in a WA Day encounter at Carine Open Space.

In the match, played in hugely challenging conditions, MUM FC led by a single goal at the break before eventually running out three goal winners. Young star Jess Johnson added to her recent tally of goals, with the other strikes coming from Sophie Meaden and Isabella Wainwright.

Rob Lizzi’s photo gallery from Perth SC v Perth RedStar at Dorrien Gardens:

Follow Impetus on social media – we’re @ImpetusFootball on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Aberystwyth Town announce award winners

4/6/23

Above: Bethan ‘Cheeks’ Roberts with the Manager’s Player of the Year shield. Photo: ATWFC Media.

Libby Isaac and Bethan ‘Cheeks’ Roberts were the big winners at the Aberystwyth Town Women end-of-season awards which also saw honours given to both of the club’s youngsters that Impetus sponsor.

Coaches and players picked out those they felt deserved recognition for their efforts during the season – and the trophies were awarded at a lunch at Harry’s Bar in Aberystwyth yesterday.

Isaac – unable to attend the ceremony – was named Players’ Player of the Year. Usually, a forward, she shifted to defence midway through the campaign after injury ravaged the backline, and proved herself a classy centre-half as well as a major attacking threat.

Above: Emily Thomas with her Young Player of the Year Award. Photo: ATWFC Media.

Midfielder Roberts, the manager’s player of the year, was reliably consistent all season, and an instrumental part of the Seasiders’ run to the semi-finals of the FAW Women’s Cup and the Genero Adran Trophy.

Emily Thomas, celebrating her 19th birthday on the day of the awards – picked up two trophies, young player of the year and sharing top scorer with Amy Jenkins.

The Impetus-sponsored duo Modlen Gwynne and Ella Thomas, who made their first-team debuts as 15-year-olds this season, picked up prizes for their contributions to the under-19s. Modlen was announced as the U19s Players’ Player of the Year, with Ella rewarded as the most improved player of the year, as well as the top goalscorer award.

Above: Impetus-sponsored Modlen Gwynne, with her U19s Player’s Player of the Year Award. Photo: ATWFC Media,

The winners were:

Players’ Player of the Year: Libby Isaac

Manager’s Player of the Year: Bethan “Cheeks” Roberts

Young Player of the Year: Emily Thomas

Top scorers: Amy Jenkins and Emily Thomas

Development team Olayers’ Player of the Year: Alice Croot

Development team manager’s Player of the Year: Steph Land

Development team most improved Player of the Year: Olivia Evans

Development team top scorer: Jess Baker 

Under 19s Players’ Player of the Year: Modlen Gwynne

Under 19s manager’s Player of the Year: Imi Scourfield

Under 19s most improved Player of the Year: Ella Thomas

Under 19s top scorer: Ella Thomas

Above: Impetus-sponsored Ella Thomas with the U19s Most Improved Player of the Year Award. Photo: ATWFC Media.

To find out more about Modlen and Ella, check out our exclusive interviews with them here: https://impetusfootball.org/2023/03/16/modlen-gwynne-from-aberystwyth-town-mascot-to-first-team-player-in-eight-years/

And: https://impetusfootball.org/2023/03/23/ella-thomas-at-the-beginning-of-an-exciting-journey/

Follow Impetus on social media – we’re @ImpetusFootball on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Follow Impetus on social media – we’re @ImpetusFootball on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Guro Reiten: The case for the baby-faced assassin

by Emmanuel Faith (2/6/23)

Above: Guro Reiten contesting possession for Chelsea in the FA Cup Final. Photo: Ben Phillips for Impetus.

When Sam Kerr won Chelsea’s player of the season, their fanbase was divided. A lot felt that the Western Australian deserved it – she has come up trumps for the team this season, especially in domestic cups showing why she is one of the best strikers in the world right now, while the other part felt Reiten should have won it for her consistent goal contributions through the season.

However, when The Athletic named their team of the season and didn’t include Reiten, the fanbase was shocked, and justifiably so.

This piece is written to shed more light on why Reiten should be in every WSL team of the season, and why she deserves all the individual accolades (even ahead of Kerr).

Artwork: The Athletic

Reiten concluded the season with 20 assists, this is more goal contributions ahead of her celebrated colleague, Kerr, and other attackers like Leah Galton, Alexia Russo, Frida Maanum, Kenza Dali, Chloe Kelly, and more. In fact, only two players provided more assists than Reiten – Khadijah Shaw and Rachel Daly whose renaissance has been the talk of the town.

Talking of Renaissance, it is the first time we have seen the Norwegian spend a huge chunk of time playing on the left throughout a season. Chelsea boss Emma Hayes has rotated her as an inverted wing-back or left back, sometimes as an attacking midfielder on either side of the midfield, but this season, she has held down the role in the absence of Fran Kirby and Pernille Harder either beside or behind Kerr, tripling her assists contributions during the process.

Reiten was Chelsea’s best-attacking player in the WSL, joint-best player in the UWCL (tying with Sam Kerr with less minutes) and while Kerr has come up trumps in domestic cup finals, Reiten’s brilliance was crucial to getting to these finals.

Above: Guro Reiten and Sam Kerr: The pair have formed a formidable partnership. Photo: Chelsea FC Women.

Reiten was Chelsea’s best player of the season, indubitably so and the way she wrapped up the season, especially the last two matches is a testament to how productive her campaign has been.

On the penultimate weekend, she opened the scoring against Arsenal, and then her free-kick led to the second in a 2-0 win. On the final weekend, she assisted Kerr’s opener and then scored the second herself. Two crucial games, two Player of the Match awards. Isn’t that how to etch your name in the hearts of the fans?

The Norwegian star has consistently delivered excellence throughout the season contributing almost one-third of the team’s attacking output, she also has had spectacular performances like the four assists and one goal contribution in the 8-0 win over Leicester City last December, or the 8-0 win against the Albanian champions, Vllaznia where she registered four assists in 74 minutes, before being substituted. If she has delivered these electric performances, why is she not picking up the individual awards?

Above: Guro Reiten delivering what was surely the assist of the season against Leicester City in December. Image: The Athletic.

In a recent conversation with BBC where she was dubbed the baby-faced assassin, Reiten mentioned how she isn’t concerned about the individual awards or accolades, as long as the team is winning, however, the midfielder has been so influential on this Chelsea team this season, and her individual brilliance should not go unrecognized.

Reiten should stroll into any WSL team of the season, and should be spoken about with huge respect. The fans know this, and it’s high time journalists recognized this to sing her praises as deserved.

While our immediate focus is on the World Cup starting in less than 50 days, if this season is a predictor of what is to come, then we can expect more moments of magic from the assist queen next season. Until then, let the football community beware, Reiten is here, making history, and we should be committed to documenting this story.

Above: Reiten’s mural at 235 Portobello Road, London, commissioned by the FA in conjunction with Chelsea FC. Photo: She Kicks.

Follow Impetus on social media – we’re @ImpetusFootball on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

SWPL Play-Off Finals previewed

from Robert Wilson (2/6/23)

Above: Rossvale (red and yellow) will be taking on Stirling University on Sunday for a place in the SWPL 2. Photo: Kelly Nelson.

This Sunday the 2022/23 Scottish Women’s Premier League (SWPL) season concludes with the first-ever play-off finals. Both the SWPL 2 (12:10 KO) and SWPL (16:10) finals will be held on the same day, back-to-back at Broadwood Stadium.

After a dramatic final day in both the SWPL and SWPL 2, these matches provide an opportunity for clubs to earn promotion or to retain their current league status.

Over 500 tickets have already been sold, with entry for the full event just £3 for adults and free for concessions. Both matches will also be live on BBC ALBA, the first women’s matches at this level to be broadcast.

In the SWPL 2 play-off final, Stirling University take on SWF Championship side Rossvale, with Impetus sponsored Lauren Coleman in their squad.

Stirling University finished seventh in SWPL 2, 12 points clear of bottom-placed East Fife, but 16 adrift of Queen’s Park in what was an extremely competitive league.

Above: Stirling University FC. Photo: Stirling University Women FC.

Looking ahead to the match, Stirling University Head Coach, Nile Robbins, said: “We are really excited for the play-off. We’ve been playing well and building momentum in recent weeks, with the knowledge that everything we do now puts us in the best position possible.

“The players have been giving everything in each training session, as we know how much this means and we are looking forward to showing everyone what we can do on the 4th June.”

Rossvale enter the Play-off Final after a last-day victory over Renfrew. The SWF Championship side knew a draw would be enough, but they were comfortable 3-0 winners on the night to claim their spot as runners-up.

Rossvale First Team Manager, Julie McSherry, said: “We are finally coming to the end of a long and exciting season. I couldn’t be happier with the progress we have made as a team and as a club. The girls have been absolutely brilliant all year and shown great resilience when things haven’t gone our way to always bounce back. We look forward to all of the challenges to come next season and beyond.”

Above: Hamilton Academical FC – who face Gartcairn to preserve their SWPL status. Photo: Hamilton Academical Women FC.

In the SWPL play-off final, Hamilton Academical face Gartcairn.

The New Douglas Park side finished 11th in the SWPL but took the battle to avoid the play-off spot to the final day of the season. Away to Dundee United they earned a point, which wasn’t quite enough to leapfrog their opponents to guaranteed safety.

Hamilton Academical Head Coach, Gary Doctor, ahead of his final game for the club said: “Obviously the play-off position we wanted to avoid but while it is disappointing, it is also a chance to finish our season on a high with our own Cup Final in that effect. 

“We have been playing well after the split and took things down to the last game which shows just how competitive SWPL has been. Anything can happen in a one-off match and we will be doing everything to impose our style onto the match and come out as the winner”.

Above: Gartcairn have had a lot to celebrate this season and are hoping for another promotion. Photo: Gartcairn Women.

Gartcairn finished runners-up in SWPL 2 after a final-day victory over Stirling University. The side, who were only promoted in 2021/22, have either been top or second in the table for the vast majority of the season as they now look to achieve back-to-back promotions.

Gartcairn Head Coach, Robert McCallum, said: “I am immensely proud of my players and backroom staff in getting to the playoff finals considering we are merely two seasons old. “We are under no illusions that we are the underdogs but we truly hope can do ourselves proud on the day and manage to play the occasion.”

Fiona McIntyre, SWPL Managing Director, said: “We look forward to concluding an exciting 2022/23 season with these play-off final matches. The format of the one-legged ties adds drama and tension that I have no doubt will result in absorbing football and a momentous occasion for all involved.

“We are also delighted these matches will be shown live by BBC ALBA. This is a strong signal of the growing strength and interest in women’s football in Scotland as we expand the level of coverage throughout the game.”